Stupas

• Stupa represents the Buddha’s mind, each part of the Stupa shows the path to enlightenment
• building a Stupa is a powerful way to purify negative karma and to accumulate merit
  
• one way to real Enlightenment, liberate suffering beings
• future benefits, fortunate rebirths, worldly benefits such as being born into a rich family, having a beautiful body, a nice voice being attractive and bringing joy to others , having a long and happy life
• reach enlightenment-the goal of Buddhism
  
  
• destroying a Stupas-very negative, similar to killing
  
• massive negative karmic imprints
  
• leaves the mind in a state of paranoia after death, totally unfortunate rebirths
  
  
• a site is found, Pujas (prayers), earth deities addressed to remove obstacles for the successful building of the Stupa.
  
• workers must have the right motivation-every aspect of the stupa emanates the pure mind of Buddha
  
• to build as Stupa transmissions and ceremonies from a Buddhist teacher is necessary
  
• which kind of Stupa to be constructed in a certain area decided with the teacher assisting in construction
  
• type of setup related to the events taking place in the area
  
  
• 5 purified elements
  
• Stupa may represent the five purified elements
  
• the square base represents earth
  
• the hemispherical dome/vase represents water
  
• the conical spire represents fire
  
• the upper lotus parasol and the crescent moon represents air
• the sun and the dissolving point represent the element of space
  
  
• Stupas contain various objects-small offerings called Tsa and Tsas fill a major part of the treasury
  
• creation of types of Tsa-Tsas is a ceremony
  
• mantras written on paper, rolled into thin rolls and put into small clay Stupas
  
• jewelry and other precious objects also placed in the treasury
  
• more objects placed in the Stupa, the stronger the energy of the Stupa
  
  
• Tree of Life an important element
  
• wooden pole covered with gems and thousands of mantras, place in the center of the Stupa
  
• placed in a ceremony of initiation, participants hold colorful ribbons connected to the Tree of Life
  
• participants make their most positive and powerful wishes, stored in The tree of Life
  
• Stupa is charged up and will start to function
  
  
• Stupas originally a simple mound of clay to cover relics of the Buddha
  
• the importance of the Stupa changed from being a funerary monument to being an object of veneration
  
• Stupas at the eight places associated with the life of the Buddha continued to be of importance
  
  
• each Stupa sits on a square base called the Lions seat whose 4 sides relate to the 4 qualities of mind, relating to the attainment of enlightenment
  
• love, compassion, joy and equanimity
  
• base filled with jewels, precious texts and relics pertaining to the tradition of Stupa building
  
• on the Lions seat there are built 5 steps all representative of the progress of the mind towards enlightenment
  
• dome rests on a decorated base, referred to as the throne
  
• above the throne is a spire consisting of 13 rings, these rings symbolize the 13 stages of a Buddha’s advance towards Buddha hood
  
• the spire is topped by a small circular devise known as the drop, resting on a sun which rests on a lunar crescent.
  
• drop represents a jewel which is symbolic of enlightenment, the sun representing wisdom and the moon representing compassion.

Palkhor Monastry Stupa	Daochen, West Sichuan, China	Old Stupa
Multiple Buddhas	Dome of Buddha	Multiple Buddhas
Kumbum Stupa